Just north of Cable, Wisconsin
Saturday, 6:37 a.m.
Dear Harp Isles Player,
I'd just traveled across the country to see an old friend. I opened my bag... and my mouse wasn't in it.
Now, most people would shrug and take a few days off.
I went mouse shopping.
I was deep in the grind for my first Apex, and I wasn't about to stop. That's how hooked I was.
Here's why. The first time I joined Harp Isles, the San' Dahyros design stopped me cold. I had never seen a creature that looked that good, and the gameplay was unlike anything I'd played.
Being a high-category creature and taking 35 Apex shards, getting Apex is many days of play and I poured in every one of them.
So when I tell you what I'm about to tell you... know that it's coming from a player first.
Today, I'm one of the owners of Harp Isles
That's right. I've acquired part of the studio behind the game, and I'm officially joining the full leadership team. And on top of that, I'm stepping in as lead developer!
(I originally just offered to help with some code. Things escalated a little.)
You know me as Batman, and that's not changing.
Why me?
That's a fair question. You don't owe anyone your trust just because they showed up with a new title. So here's a little bit about who I am.
I've been doing full-stack development for over a decade.
Back in 2018 and 2019, I was a part of the Strucid team. Maybe you played it... it has over 750 million visits and was one of the most popular games on the platform at the time.
After graduating high school, I helped found a software company that grew to over 30 full-time employees, including 15 developers who I led.
So I've seen firsthand what it takes to build a big game... and what it takes to run a team that actually ships. Harp Isles needs both.
What I see
In its first month, Harp Isles had over a million visits.
A million! That doesn't happen by accident. It happens because there's something really special here, and I think every one of you has felt it.
But, with that said... I'm not going to pretend everything has been great. You'd know I was lying.
Here's what I've noticed, first as a player and now from the inside:
- There have been a lot of bugs. Honestly? Too many.
- The game is missing a lot of the gameplay features that would make every session really exciting.
- Communication hasn't been where it needs to be. You've been asking what's going on and what's coming next... and too often, you didn't get an answer.
That last one is on leadership. And leadership now includes me.
What changes
As lead developer, my focus is really simple: buttoning up clear communication and effective planning with the team.
Here's what that means for you. When we're working on something, you'll know about it. When something slips, you'll hear it from us, not from a rumor. And when we put a plan out there, it's going to be one you can actually hold us to.
There are also some changes on the team. Vet is stepping back for now, and I'll be leading development for the time being.
What matters to me
At the end of the day, it really comes down to one thing...
Building the best creature survival game on Roblox.
Picture logging in after an update and everything just works. Picture knowing what's coming next before it ever lands. Picture chasing your next Apex in a game that keeps getting better every single time you open it.
That's what I'm here to build. And I'm extremely excited to build it with all of you.
What's next
Tuesday, October 13, at 12:00 PM Central, I'll be publishing the roadmap.
It covers how the beta ends, what you can earn before it does, and the road to full release. And I'll just say this...
Something big is coming.
Want a ping the second it goes live? Open the Discord event and tap "Interested":
See you in the Isles,
Batman
P.S. The roadmap drops Tuesday, October 13, at 12:00 PM Central. Tap "Interested" on the Discord event so you don't miss it. If you've been wondering what's going on with Harp Isles and what's coming next, this is the post to read. It's your first real look at where all of this is headed.